It comes as no surprise that precarious weather, early mornings, and many layers of gear make ski racing a heavy sport, both literally and figuratively. Such a complex sport doesn’t come without doubtful mornings. Whether in U8 or U16, anticipating an ineffective training day before we even leave the house is a common feeling. Below are 5 steps that you can work towards to help make a frenzy-filled morning much more promising.

1. Sleep & Nutrition

Having both the physical and mental ability to do your best is essential for any training day. Ensuring you are recovered from the previous training session allows you to not only fulfill the physical expectations for your session but engage in your activity with strength and a receptive attitude. Getting enough sleep starts the night before, but at times when your schedule is impacted, a restless night can get the best of everyone. For this reason, it is important to focus on food for fuel. Ensuring your body is properly fuelled by avoiding foods that hinder your performance, like sugar and processed snacks, allows you to avoid drastic drops in blood sugar levels; therefore, energy. Pack your bag with snacks that are wholesome and easy to grab on the go. Snacks like cut-up vegetables, fruit, savoury crackers, and cheese squares are great choices.

2. Routine

It's a Saturday morning, you’re running late, your parents are waiting for you in the car, and you haven’t checked your gear. By the time you get to Grouse, you feel as though your energy tank is half empty. What happens next?  To succeed as an athlete, you have to be able to perform under pressure. Consistent mental strength is not something we are born with, but rather a skill we learn through trial and error as well as guidance. Setting routines for the season can not only help you become more efficient but get back on track when you meet a mishap. For instance, your 3-step routine the night before a ski day can be:

1. Pack ski bag: food and water, extra gear, helmet and goggles.
2. Prepare gear: lay out what you’re going to wear the night before so you are not scrambling to put base layers together in the morning. Make sure to prepare your ski pass, skis, poles and boots as well.
3. Check email/timing: a weather-dependent sport, ski racing schedules can constantly change. Make sure you’re on the same page as your coaches so you don’t miss any important changes in the schedule.

Whether you choose to set up a morning, pre-ski or post-training routine, having a familiar procedure can give structure and discipline among the chaos.

3. Checklist

Aside from the basic ski equipment you need to ski safely in and out of the course, athletes may have their personal needs for a successful training day. Whether it be your favourite goggles or certain snacks to keep you fulfilled, keep a checklist handy. Divide the list into two groups, personal and equipment, writing down everything necessary for a successful day on the snow.

4. Visualization

Under pressure, our heart rate increases, cortisol levels rise and physiology changes. As a result, we may react in ways we otherwise wouldn’t want to; therefore, encounter outcomes that don’t align with our values and wants. To perform effectively during moments of pressure, we must learn to change physical reactions, reframe thoughts and leverage behaviour. Setting training day intentions before getting on skis and visualizing our performance in key sessions, like a pre-announced gate day. Keep these pre-training sessions short by choosing a specific experience, movement, or moment that is valuable for one run. Focus on that brief experience, how you will get to it and what you will feel afterwards. Repeating short visualization loops will guide you to understand what elements are necessary to meet a certain goal.

5. Communication

When one mentions communication, we often think of a conversation between two or more people. However, communication with yourself is just as important. When stressful thoughts penetrate your mind, they can become overwhelming whether you feel it or not, limiting your ability to perform successfully. As an athlete, emotional check-ins are important because when you quiet the mind, physical awareness is brought systematically. Whenever you find racing thoughts clouding your ability to be present, take a moment to become attuned to what’s happening in your body. If it means taking a few solo chair rides between runs, do it. Other suggestions include taking a moment to lean on your poles and pick out one goal for your next run, bringing your attention to your boots and how they feel, moving your body through a quick warm-up, and even talking to your coach.